


Komorebi

by Feyree



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, Gen, again i say: let's put this to amaurot!WoL, anyway SPOILERS because this ficlet heavily depends on the reader knowing the end of SHB, bite-sized ficlet, i dunno it's difficult to categorize, the beginnings of emet/WoL?, this is very short though, though i guess this is like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-31 18:50:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21150509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feyree/pseuds/Feyree
Summary: [Shadowbringers spoilers | Ficlet]A small, quiet conversation between the Warrior of Light and Emet-Selch after certain events in the Greatwood leads to more questions than answers for one of their number.





	Komorebi

**Author's Note:**

> Another notice for _Shadowbringers spoilers_! Not only do I reference an event that happens in the end, but it's best read when you've already finished the story due to the implication of certain things. 
> 
> _ Komorebi (木漏れ日): sunshine filtering through the leaves of a tree_.

She was not not-Urania. He had wanted to think she would always be a pale imitation, not worthy and not equal, but he had yet again been proven wrong. When he looked to her, he saw everything that was Urania and more. She was the next chapter; Urania had not stopped but changed form, a story still ongoing. Urania's sometimes innocent cluelessness, her dry wit, her love for proving others wrong, her willingness to pick a fight, her innate spirituality - her love of the world most of all, all shone on in the hero. 

Yet, she was something else entirely. Urania never had wanderlust like the hero did, sticking her nose into every which way she could. Urania had a family, Urania had him, and the hero - no family, no children, no spouse. The hero was a Viera and he felt personally slighted by that fact, if only because he'd long since encountered one and had at first sight been endeared by the twitch of their noses, of all things. The hero had a penchant for restoration, something simply impossible in Amaurot as there was nothing to restore. And the hero kept secrets. 

Secrets, where he'd been privy to Urania's thoughts constantly through debate and discussion! He never had to ask what she meant, as she always made her thoughts very clear on whatever matter befell them!

He saw it in the way her eyes lingered on him, wanting to ask a question so obviously, and yet in the same span of breath he would see her eyes drop and her head turn away. She adopted a cheerful attitude to hide her thoughtfulness, and it managed to _fool_ them. It had nearly fooled him the first time she did it to him - she played the fool so flawlessly and Hades quickly grew a hate for it. 

"You're smiling," she said and approached him, both curious and guarded. "Don't think I've ever seen that expression on you before." 

Hades figured he should slip back into his own role quickly. "We ancients are capable of it, lest you think otherwise."

"I never thought otherwise. I just said I haven't seen you like this before. Are you that happy we know Hydaelyn is a primal?"

"Do I find happiness upon finding your lives and beliefs have been upended? No, I can't say so, but doubtless you and yours will believe otherwise. Am I satisfied that we are on the same page? Yes. That, I am, hero."

Her Viera ears twitched and lowered, hands laced together in front of her as the hero thought. "If she's a primal, she's capable of tempering, isn't she?"

"Is that what you think? 'Am I a thrall of Hydaelyn?'"

Her dark skin burned hotter in clear embarrassment. "Answer the gods-damned question."

He gestured idly with a wide sweep of his arm. "It is possible. I can't say I've ever met a tempered soldier of Hydaelyn's, but then, from my knowledge, your Minfilia of the Source may fit the description."

"What?" her eyes widened briefly before lapsing into thought. ... if she believed him, that would mean...

Hades watched her, and supplied, "She is ever dutiful, acting as mouthpiece and soldier both to your Crystal, but there has scarcely been any mention of a Minfilia raging against her place. There is argument to be made in terms of how she was raised, certainly, but you can't honestly tell me every one of them was ready for sacrifice like lambs to the slaughter?" 

"I'm willing to sacrifice myself for this cause," the hero said, raising her eyes to Hades with a furrow in her brow. "Don't you think it's a cause with risking everything for?"

He quieted and studied her face. "No. Hydaelyn is far from deserving of sacrifice, Allumette."

"That's exactly what a servant of Zodiark - ah!" She pointed at him, forest-green eyes wide. "You called me by name!" 

"Did I?" Hades sniffed, wrinkling his nose. "Weeeeell.... there are too many of you. Calling you all hero would be inviting chaos. If you are satisfied with your answer, I have a moment of rest calling _my_ name."

She watched him leave, waving idly, and found herself feeling as if she'd come across something she shouldn't have.

**Author's Note:**

> ... now I will just come out and say it: I may have gotten things wrong with regards to Minfilia, but you know what? I'm going to let that be wrong, because Hades can't always be right. Urania/Aphrodite is the name for the Amaurotian WoL, as referenced in an earlier ficlet, Dahlia. 
> 
> Anyway: I fuckin' love dramatic irony, don't you? And Shadowbringers is so fraught with it I had to add in a few instances of my own.
> 
> I can't say I partake in fandom's hottest takes or anything so I don't know if this take is popular, but when it comes to reincarnation stories I've never quite liked the idea of the reincarnated person being a carbon copy of the person they were reincarnated from. At the same time, them being completely different didn't quite sit well with me, either. I like the idea that the reincarnated person is the person they were reincarnated from _and more_ \- each time growing in complexity, because that's kinda how normal people are. It feels natural, and also gives the non-reincarnated person a sense of "oh wow, this is new, with a person that I've known forever." 
> 
> Those are my thoughts anyway! Thank you for reading!


End file.
